Arms Wide Open
by I hart Booth
Summary: Seeley, meet Parker. What was Seeley like before Parker, and how did that beautiful head of blonde curls change our fave FBI man? songfic oneshot


**So much for not listening to the radio anymore. lol. I LOVE songfics! This is Arms Wide Open by Creed**

Booth shut the jail cell and winked at the man he'd just placed inside.

"You should have plenty of time to think about Catherine Howdy in here Burtch. Have fun!" He waved brightly at the hardened killer and didn't flinch as the man lunged at him through the bars, yelling curses and threats.

"Right back at ya sunshine." Booth turned and walked down the corridor.

The guard at the end of the hall shook his head as he approached, the bright grin he'd been wearing was replaced with dark anger and thick disdain.

"You ever think taunting the serial killers may **not** be the best idea?" The guard asked.

Booth shrugged as he was buzzed through the gate.

"The guy tortures and kills sixteen-year-old girls just ofr shits and giggles, he's lucky I didn't snap his neck and dance on his corpse." Booth replied evenly, collecting his gun and cell phone from behind the guard's desk.

The guard merely nodded, Booth often made these sort of comments, it was part of the reason he was required to have a partner when so many agents preferred to fly solo. Agent Booth had quite the temper.

"Oh, you're cell went off while you were getting his statement."

"Oh? Who was it?" Booth pulled out his phone and his eyes widened. "Rebecca!"

**Well I just heard the news today  
It seems my life is going to change  
I closed my eyes, begin to pray  
Then tears of joy stream down my face**

Booth burst through the hospital doors, his heart racing as he frantically searched the emergency room for his blonde haired, VERY pregnant, ex-girlfriend.

When he didn't see her he ran to the nurses' station.

"Hi. Yeah excuse me, my name's Seeley Booth I'm looking for Rebecca Porter, I think she's in labor." He said, breathless and steadying himself against the counter.

The blue eyed nurse with the she-mullet nodded at him and quickly typed the names he'd mentioned into her computer.

"Rebecca Porter. Yes." She turned and pointed to the doors, "Through those doors to the elevator, fifth floor room 527, follow the screaming." She gave Booth a dry smile and he thanked her, running in the direction she'd indicated.

**With arms wide open  
Under the sunlight  
Welcome to this place  
I'll show you everything  
With arms wide open  
With arms wide open**

"AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHRRRRGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!"

_Well she was right about the screaming._ Booth thought as he exited the elevator, practically skipping down the hall to a room about halfway down on the left.

"Rebecca?" He said upon entering.

The woman in question sat up in the bed, sweat on her brow and neck, her hair pulled into a tight, messy bun. She lifted her eyes and glared at him.

"I'm going to kill you."

Booth smiled sheepishly at Francis, Rebecca's best friend, and her husband Tom.

"Yeah, what else is new?" He was at her side, shedding his coat and tie that suddenly felt far too constricting, but he didn't reach for her hand. Partially because of the pained look on Francis' face, who was clutching one of Rebecca's hands. And partly because the wound of her refusal to marry him was still fresh. Sometimes it hurt just to be in the same room with her.

Another shudder racked Rebecca's body and she screamed, drawing a few nurses in from the hallway.

"Well Mrs. Porter, looks like…"

"Miss." Rebecca gasped.

"I'm sorry?" The nurse looked up from the paper she held with all the jagged lines on it.

"Miss, not Mrs. I've never been married." She gratefully accepted ice chips from Tom, and waited apprehensivly for the next contraction.

The nurse glanced at Booth, who looked away quickly, pain and embarresment on his red face. She nodded.

"My mistake. Miss Porter, the contractions are near five minutes apart and you're fully dialated. I'll go get the doctor."

Booth looked up. "It's time?"

The nurse stopped and smiled at the four sets of eyes from the doorway.

"It's time."

**Well I don't know if I'm ready  
To be the man I have to be  
I'll take a breath, I'll take her by my side  
We stand in awe, we've created life**

Booth paced the waiting room restlessly. He honestly had no idea how long a birth was actually supposed to take…but this one seemed to be taking quite a while.

"Take a deep breath Seeley. It'll be over soon." Tom smiled at him from a seat near the wall.

Booth stopped, not even turning to face the man. He'd never really liked Tom, he was too…slippery. And now that he and Rebecca weren't together, Booth had no reason to pretend.

"Tom." He said in a dangerously low tone. "You tell me to calm down one more time and I'm going to personally escort you through the nearest window."

Tom shut up and sat back against the chair, looking like a child who'd just had his favorite toy taken away.

A nurse came to the door and poked her head out.

"Mr. Booth? You're son is here."

**With arms wide open  
Under the sunlight  
Welcome to this place  
I'll show you everything  
With arms wide open**

Rebecca looked exhauseted, but the smile on her face was glowing.

"Seeley." She glanced up from the soft blue blanket in her arms and Booth smelled newborn baby in the air. His heart leapt to his throat.

"I-Is that…" Booth was stunned into silence, standing just far enough away to know someone was cooing in her arms, but unable to see the face.

He couldn't move.

In his whole life Seeley Booth had never not been able to think of something to say and he was constantly in motion. Even when sitting he bounced, moved, tapped or wiggled. He had to move, like his skin was jittery.

But now, standing on just this side of someone who meant forever, in the arms of the woman who turned forever with him down, Booth couldn't seem to move. His son was right there just a few feet away. That which was only an idea, an assured expectation, was now reality. A real live palpable, tiny human being with wants and needs. A little person whom he would have to care for and love and teach…

And before he had a chance to finish the thought Rebecca motioned to a nurse and suddenly his arms were wrapped gingerly around a warm bundle in a blue blanket.

**Now everything has changed  
I'll show you love  
I'll show you everything  
With arms wide open  
With arms wide open  
I'll show you everything ...oh yeah  
With arms wide open..wide open**

The small child wriggled and stretched his small arms, contorting his face into something of a frown while he readjusted to his new surroundings. Booth looked down into the face of his son.

"His name is Parker." Rebecca's tired voice floated over from the bed and Booth gave a minute nod of his head to show he'd heard.

"Parker." He whispered the name to himself.

Panic slowly began to burn in his chest.

What if I'm not enough? What if everything I've done…I'm not even sure I'm a good person…how can I be sure I would ever be a good father? What if Rebecca was right when she said my job is too dangerous, my life at risk too often...What if…

Booth felt pressure wrap around his left forefinger as he gently pushed aside the blanket to get a better look at sleeping Parker's face.

He smiled.

"Quite the grip you got there little guy." He wiggled it ever so slightly and Parker's grip tightened.

"He's a strong little guy." Booth said, thowing a small smile toward Rebecca. He bit his tounge when he saw she was dozing off and nodded as the nurse left the room.

"Parker huh?" He whispered to the little boy in his arms, turning to face the sunlight streaming in through the window, letting his son feel the warmth of the sun for the first time.

**If I had just one wish  
Only one demand  
I hope he's not like me  
I hope he understands**

He looked outside and saw the world he lived in. A world full of crime and fear, a world he contributed to making frighting, and a world he was now trying to protect.

But glancing down to Parker, he realized there were good things too. Backyard football games with family and Barbeque's on the fourth of July. He imagined watching Parker taste ice cream for the first time and teaching him to restore cars.

Parker yawned and sat down, realizing he was tired as well.

"I'll be right here little buddy. I'll show you everything good…and I'll protect you from everything bad for as long as I can." He whispered, rocking slowly when the child started to fuss.

When Parker quieted, Booth leaned down and kissed his pink forehead softly.

**That he can take this life  
And hold it by the hand  
And he can greet the world  
With arms wide open...**

The little boy stretched and opened his eyes for the first time and Booth caught his breath. In those eyes was all the trust he'd ever need. Wide eyed and innocent blue as the day is long. A soul untouched and unscathed.

Booth realized that here was where he could find his new beginning. He could start fresh with Parker, be a good father...and a good man. Someone his son could look up to and try to imitate. In Parker, he could have a future independent from his twisted past.

Booth smiled, and for the first time in a long time, the darkenss in his eyes lifted.

**I was just thinking of the first epi with Epps, how the hot lawyer said Booth was "A lot less angry" than he was seven years ago, and that got me wondering...why? **

**So what did you think?**


End file.
